Designs of Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island bridges almost done, says DPWH

The detailed engineering designs for the P189-billion Panay-Guimaras-Negros island bridges project is nearing its completion, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Wednesday.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said that the design for one of the two segments of the project, which will connect the islands of Panay and Guimaras via a 4.97 kilometers sea-crossing bridge, is expected to be finished within September. 

“Ang atin pong napaka-importanteng Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island bridge project, sa ngayon po ongoing po ang ating detailed engineering design pero po malapit na pong matapos. In fact, ang unang segment natin, yung Panay-Guimaras, yung section A, ay 99% completed na po at mako-complete na po ito within the month of September. So after po nun, ipapadala na po ito sa NEDA for approval,” he told the House Committee on Appropriations. 

(Our very important Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island bridge project, its detailed engineering design is currently ongoing, but it's close to being finished. In fact, our first segment, the Panay-Guimaras, section A, is already 99% complete and will be completed within the month of September. So after that, it will be sent to the National Economic and Development Authority for approval.) 

Meanwhile, the design for the Guimaras-Negros section with a sea-crossing bridge of sea-crossing spanning 13.11 kilometers is already at 85.3% progress, said Dizon. 

The contract for the detailed engineering design was signed in 2023 and is expected to be finished by 2025. Meanwhile, civil works will follow until 2032, according to the DPWH. 

The cost of engineering services will be funded by a loan with Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), which is South Korea’s official export credit agency. 

Further, Dizon noted that funding of the bridges project through KEXIM is not affected by the earlier pronouncement of South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung that he has stopped a 700-billion won or about P28-billion infrastructure loan project from being implemented in the Philippines, citing corruption. —RF, GMA Integrated News